The opening and announcement of the winning work for the 2018 Calleen Art Award took place at Cowra Regional Art Gallery on Saturday, 10 May 2018 with a large crowd in attendance, including many of the finalists. The Calleen Art Award is an acquisitive national painting prize established in 1977 by Mrs Patricia Fagan OAM. During the last 41 years the Calleen Art Award, with the support of the Calleen Trust, has developed into a significant art prize worth $20,000 in 2018. The winning work will join the Calleen Collection at the Gallery.

The 2018 exhibition features a diverse range of works by 46 finalists, including mid-career and exciting young and emerging artists. The finalists were selected by a panel of art professionals from over 200 entries received from around Australia.

There is also a People’s Choice Award of $500, made possible by the Friends of the Gallery and will be announced at the end of the exhibition.

During the evening, guests were treated to the presentation of delightful music by young musicians from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The awards opening night is a memorable local event for visitors and an enjoyable visual arts experience.

Cairns-based artist Brian Robinson has taken out this year’s $20,000 Calleen Art Award for his work Sowing the Crops and Reading the Stars. The work is characteristic of Robinson’s graphic style and strongly informed by his background growing up on the Torres Strait Islands located between New Guinea and the tip of Cape York Peninsula.

In a statement accompanying the work, Robinson states that the painting references the traditional gardening practices that occurred throughout the Torres Strait as well as the abundant plant life and blooms that are found growing everywhere in profusion. Skill in gardening was and still is dependent on understanding the four seasons including knowledge of the movement of stars and constellations, tidal patterns and the migration of birds and certain sea creatures.

Agricultural fertility also entails a respect for inherited ancestral land and knowledge of how to influence rainfall and the growth of plants through actions, words, songs and the use of figures and stones. Cosmology, particularly star constellations, were of significant importance to the people who used them to encode nature’s relative predictability into mythological narratives like Usiam, a cluster of seven stars that are more commonly known as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. These narratives epitomise the cosmology or sense of understanding of one’s place in the universe.

The Award Judge, Michael Hedger, Director Manly Art Gallery and Museum, said “the winner is an interesting picture with a wonderful patterning background and figure over the top as well as a blend of various Asian styles, showing the rendition of ancient crafts.”

Highly Commended Awards

Geoff Harvey Ash Landscape, 2017, acrylic and charcoal on board, 123 x 153 cm Judges comments: “Ash Landscape, is absolutely astonishing – it has the whole tragedy of the landscape after a bushfire, something which unfortunately never goes out of the news in Australia. He’s encapsulated that perfectly”

Shannon Doyle, Power Struggle, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 120 cm Judges comments: “ This figure study I think is the best figure study in the exhibition, even more so because you don’t even see the figure, it’s all heavily clothed and an extraordinary painting is made out of using just tones, just grey.”

The 2018 Calleen Art Award opening night took place Saturday, 5 May and was a memorable and enjoyable Gallery event. For more information about the Calleen Art Award, stay in touch through the Gallery facebook page.

The list of 2018 finalists are:

Xiao Bai

Susan Baird

Michael Bell

Kate Briscoe

Annabel Butler

Daniel Butterworth

Jemma Calavassy

Jane Canfield

David Collins

Peter Cook

Kathryn Cowen

Dagmar Cyrulla

Tracy Dods

Bridget Dolan

Kate Dorrough

John Downton

Shannon Doyle

Graeme Drendel

Ashley Frost

Keith Fyfe

Craig Handley

Rachel Hannan

Samir Hamaiel

Hope Hardy

Geoff Harvey

Vicki Hersey

Kerry Johns

Val Johnson

Col Jordan

Hui (Kathy) Liu

Steve Lopes

Robert Malherbe

Nic Mason

Rowen Matthews

Kerry McInnis

Paul McKnight

Wayne Miles

Annabel Nowlan

Hal Pratt

Claire Primrose

Petra Reece

Brian Robinson

Brenda Runnegar

Stuart Smith

Sally Stokes

Zoe Young

Key dates

The exhibition opening and announcement of the 2017 Calleen Art Award winner took place at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery on Saturday night 6 May 2017 from 6pm, with over 120 visitors including many of the finalists.

The exhibition was opened by Cr Judi Smith, Deputy Mayor, Cowra Shire Council and the Calleen Art Award winner was announced by the Awards Judge, Mr Angus Trumble, Director, National Portrait Gallery.

The winner of the 2017 Callen Art Award is Zai Kuang from Melbourne for his work titled Audery oil on canvas 102 x 84cm. Artists statement “My paintings are about children and daily life. I want to explore the relationships between children and their surroundings and the objects in the domestic environment” (except from the exhibition statement).

During the evening guests were treated to the presentation of delightful music by an ensemble of young musicians from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music

The exhibition continues to 18 June 2017.

For more information Tel: 6340 2190. The Gallery is located at 77 Darling Street, Cowra and open from Tues–Sat, 10am–4pm and Sun 2pm–4pm. Admission is free.

The Calleen Art Award

The Calleen Art Award encourages originality, creativity and artistic excellence. The Calleen Art Award is an acquisitive national painting prize in any subject and style established in 1977 by Patricia Fagan OAM. The winner of the 2017 Calleen Art Award will receive $20,000 in prize money made possible by the generous support of the Calleen Trust and the winning work will become part of the Calleen Collection at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery. The Awards Judge for 2017 is Angus Trumble, Director, National Portrait Gallery.

2017 marks the 40 year anniversary for the Calleen Art Award and during the past ten years it has developed a unique reputation as a major art prize in regional New South Wales. Previous winners include Tania Mason (2016), Yvonne Boag (2015), Naomi White (2014), Gladdy Kemarre (2013), G.W.Bot (2012), Peter Gardiner (2011), Claire Martin (2010) and Rowan Mathews (2009).

Entries closed on 3 March 2017.

People’s Choice Award

A People’s Choice Award (non-acquisitive) is awarded at the end of the exhibition. The winner will receive $500.

This year the Cowra Regional Art Gallery received 272 entries into the 2016 Calleen Art Award from across Australia and 47 works were selected by a panel of art professionals as finalists.

The official exhibition opening and announcement of the 2016 Calleen Art Award winner took place on Saturday 30 April 2016, attracting over 100 visitors, including many of the finalists. Cr Bill West, Mayor of Cowra Shire Council, welcomed guests and opened the exhibition and the announcement of the winner by the Award Judge John Cheeseman, Manager Cultural Services and Gallery Director, Mosman Art Gallery.

2016 Calleen Art Award Winner

Tania Mason and her winning work Irregular Plasma

The winner of the 2016 acquisitive Calleen Art Award is Tania Mason from Sydney, for her work Irregular Plasma, 2016, gouache and acrylic on canvas, 102 x 84cm. Irregular Plasma explores concepts linked to the neurological patterns within the human brain and natures complex geometric shapes such as vines, plants, trees and leaves. Tania received $19,000 in prize money from the Calleen Trust and her winning painting joins the Calleen Art Collection at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery.

Judge’s comments

Tania Mason Irregular Plasma: “In the first passing of works I did not think this was in the running. But then I looked at all works in detail and the more I looked the more I was drawn to this work. This is a painting exploring the mind and pioneering new ways of expressing neural connections – organic complex geometric shapes and connections, neurological patterns and pathway formations. What I especially admired was that this was a beautiful work and, on balance, a positive and optimistic painting with a sense of wonder. The artist herself was driven to explore the neural condition of her son who has faced behavioural challenges – a very personal work and a brave work to share.” – John Cheeseman

Hal Pratt:Hidden Gorge NT. “This work of great beauty shines like a beacon within the gallery. It re-addresses our collective memory of Namatjira works and the images of places that have been embedded into our minds – this is a reimagining of this mythic Australian landscape. A striking work skilfully composed in watercolour”. – John Cheeseman

Ivan Goodacre: The Dam. “A very impressive work, almost abstract in form, with an upside-down perspective that disorients, challenges and excites the viewer. An evocation of the landscape and place, it is also an added bonus that the subject matter of the work, Wyangala Dam, is so relevant and connected to the Cowra district and community”. – John Cheeseman

Peter Lankas: Helen Street. “This work was executed from memory and takes us on a contemporary odyssey through the suburbs. This is a painter with a strong love of the medium, to the point he makes his own paint, and I enjoyed the strong and direct application and brushstrokes. The work is a contemporary take on landscape, combining the darkness of Drysdale with a touch of Quilty, all done in miniature form”. – John Cheeseman.

The opening night and announcement of the 2014 Calleen Art Award and Central West Regional Art Award winners took place on Saturday 3 May.

The Calleen Art Award was established in 1977 by Mrs Patricia Fagan OAM as an acquisitive art prize to form the Calleen Art Collection now the cornerstone of the Cowra Regional Art Gallery’s permanent collection. The Calleen Art Award has developed into a major national art prize for painting (in any subject) and this year the winner received $18,000 in prize money through the generous support of the Calleen Trust.

The Central West Regional Art Award was established in 2009 and aims to benefit and provide professional development opportunities for artists based in the Central West region of NSW. The Award is non-acquisitive in the categories of painting and drawing (in any subject) with prize money of $2,000 through the generous support of a generous benefactor.

Over 100 people gathered for the special reception in the Cowra Civic Centre including the opening address by Cowra Mayor Cr Bill West and the announcement of the winning works and awards presentation by the 2014 Awards Judge Michael Rolfe CEO Museums and Galleries of NSW. This was followed by the exhibition preview of the 58 finalists’ works at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery.

During the evening guests were treated to the delightful flute music of ‘Tout Suites’ as they entered the Civic Centre Foyer, and wonderful sounds by Harpist Kim Deacon at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery.

The winner of the 2014 Calleen Art Award was Naomi White from Bardon (a suburb of Brisbane) Queensland for her work End of Day (2014) oil on canvas 112 x 183cm.

Judge’s comments

“In her work End of Day Naomi White uses sharp and intuitive brush strokes and discreet tonal gestures, abstracted in parts, to achieve a sharp and focused work. It’s not landscape from around here (Cowra), but it is an appropriate work for a collection that aspires to represent in some sense the vistas only artists see and to bring them before our eyes.” – Michael Rolfe.

Highly Commended Awards (Calleen Art Award) went to Alison Chiam from Vincenna NSW for her work Snowy Plains, Monaro NSW (2014) oil on canvas 72 X 120cm; Stephen Pleban from Ballart Victoria for his work Intertwine 2 (2014) oil and wax on canvas 152 x 162cm; Georgina Pollard from Kandos NSW for her work mis-tint II (2014) acrylic house paint on fabric 128 x 255cm; and Matthew Quick from Collingwood Victoria for his work Coronation (2014) oil on linen 120 x 100cm.

The winner of the 2014 Central West Regional Art Award was Genevieve Carroll from Hill End NSW for her work Over the Table Blue Dandelions (2014) oil on board 150 x 180cm.

Judges comments

“I gave the Central West Regional Art Award to a work that displays for me a real enthusiasm for painting. With a practice described as a circumnavigation of her life, Genevieve Carroll has produced a lively work – Over the Table Blue Dandelions – energetically transcribed and mediated through the experience of all things important to her. For me it wasn’t circumnavigating anything. Rather the artist appears to jump right in – It is a well constructed narrative and an artwork not bogged in paint but rather imbued with light and life.” – Michael Rolfe.

Highly commended awards went to Anne Stanley from Cowra for her workTo the Edge, 2013 acrylic and mixed media on canvas 47.5 x 47.5cm and Blackheath based artist Robert Malherbe for River 11, 2013 oil on linen 61 x 76.2 cm.

A special People’s Choice Award worth $500 will be announced at the end of the exhibition.

This year’s exhibition of finalists’ works (selected from 299 entries) is an exciting and enjoyable showcase of contemporary art from across Australia. It is a significant exhibition event in the arts calendar of Cowra and the district, and one of the regions important cultural experiences.